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Which Way: Ideal or Optimal

By Carla Huston
Raising and caring for a horse requires the owner to follow one of two concepts: developing and handling the animal in a way that is ideal for that particular individual, or managing him so that the demands placed on him follow a generic pattern that does not account for the differences between horses, optimal. In this context, ideal implies controlling the factors that contribute to a horse's general health, and the result is in the animal's best interest. The other method, however, involves pushing the horse to limits that may not be the healthiest for him, even when the short-term result indicates otherwise. It is the horse's long-term well-being that is the goal.
One of the earliest decisions between these two concepts comes when the foal begins eating his own ration. At this time the owner must develop a diet for the youngster that will fulfill his nutritional requirements. But it is also possible to feed a ration that will encourage growth that is too rapid. When a ration is designed primarily for accelerated growth it often becomes unbalanced, and the problem becomes twofold. First, the imbalance in nutrients, particularly with minerals, interferes with the horse's metabolism and affects the development of tendons, ligaments and bones. Second, the high-energy diet often puts more weight on the foal's frame than is healthy and the stress can be very damaging. An ideal growth pattern is one that allows the young horse to develop at a natural rate of gain that doesn't stress the joints and support structures. Feeding a proper diet will help avoid some of the problems foals encounter, such as epiphysitis and osteochondrosis. Following a more moderate program will mean the weanling and yearling will not be as developed as their peers who were pushed for early, fast growth, however, as maturity approaches the horse will be healthier, having gone through the stages of development in the right sequence and at the correct time.
Another aspect of this debate also relates to the young horse, the start of training under saddle. It has become common practice to begin schooling a horse as a long yearling or a two year old, and to expect him to be finished as a three or four year old. At this time, though, he is just reaching physical and mental maturity. Some animals at two have reached enough size that they appear ready to start training; yet it is important to remember that the growth plates in the bones have not completely closed, and the joints can be easily damaged by too much repetitive work. Just because the horse appears full-grown, there is still a great deal of development that must be completed. These young horses are also immature mentally. Their attention span is short, and they can be easily confused when confronted with too much information. Many training problems that arise later can be traced back to early schooling that was rushed, or steps that were skipped to quickly reach a desired result. Ideally, the owner can wait until the young horse is closer to maturity before starting him under saddle, and then can move slowly through the levels of training. This eliminates many of the "holes" found in older horse that are sent to be reschooled. Delaying training until the horse is physically stronger will also prevent some of the maladies that affect horses as they age. Arthritis, ringbone and sidebone are a few of the conditions that may cause lameness in relatively young animals, and in many cases may be partially attributed to the intensity of the work underwent as a youngster. For example, the European method of training generally calls for starting a horse at the age of four or five and the finished horse is one nearing his teens, if then. Many horses remain in competition until their late teens, even at the international level. This method requires more patience on the part of the owner/rider, but the dividends are well worth it when you have a sound, usable horse in his twenties.
Hoof care is one more area where the owner must choose the method by which they will handle their horse. It has become a common belief that the horse must have four perfectly round hooves that all point straight ahead, despite the conformation of the individual animal. This arrangement may be aesthetically pleasing to the human eye, but rarely serves the horse best. The feet are designed to support the horse's body mass, and therefore grow to where the weight is distributed. When the hooves are trimmed or shod to change them from the natural position the result will eventually be detrimental to his health and way of moving, even though the appearance is more "normal." An ideal hoof for a particular horse is one allowed to remain as it naturally grows, trimmed and balanced to maintain that position. Consequently, if a horse has some rotation in a joint or the column of bone he will be toed-in or toed-out to some degree. To correct that deviation by straightening the hoof will place stress on the other structures. The horse will remain functional with this alteration for a while, but over time problems will develop, often causing a variety of lamenesses. It is also important to let the hoof develop a thick wall with the necessary flares. Filing the outer wall down until it is perfectly symmetrical and small will alter how the foot bears the horse's weight.
Balancing human and horse interests is a constant challenge for the conscientious owner. It requires evaluation of the rider's goals and the horse's well-being and their compatibility. And it requires the ability to judge the long-term effects of today's actions. As horse lovers we all want our animals to be healthy and useful for decades, not just years, which means following the route that encourages the ideal development of the individual, rather than prescribing to a preconceived notion of how the horse should look and perform.